N
athan3 Bassett, son of Nathaniel2 and Dorcas (Joyce) Bassett, the progenitor of the Bassetts of Chatham and Harwich, is said to have been born in Yarmouth 25 Sept. 1677; he died in Chatham in 1728.

He married 7 March 1709/10, Mary Crow or Crowell, the daughter of Thomas and Deborah Crowell of Yarmouth, who was born 2 Dec. 1688 (May. Desc., vol. 9, p. 252-253).

Shortly after marrying, Nathan settled in Monomoit which was incorporated and renamed Chatham about the time he settled there. A notation in the Proprietors’ Book of Records of Chatham describes the boundaries of the property which he bought. Although no date is given, the entry was probably made in 1714: "laid out to Nathan Bassett a parcell of land to ye westward of ye Indian Meeting House, bounded east by ye land left for ye Indian Meeting House, north by ye highway to a tree marked on four sides, with N.B. cut in it; thence sets S.W. to ye pond next Harwich then by ye pond to a range set between ye pond to ye other pond, and then by it to ye first mentioned land, allowing a highway through between ye ponds" (Josiah Paine Manuscripts, p. 84, in the possession of the New England Historical Genealogical Society).

This land lies on the Chatham-Harwich boundary south of Queen Anne Road near West Harwich. The ponds mentioned are now called Mill Pond and Ministers Pond. Nathan died in 1728, as his wife Mary was appointed administratrix of his estate 27 Nov. 1728 (Barnstable County Probates, vol. 4, p. 454). The estate was not settled until after the death of Mary. Her will, dated 5 Nov. 1741 and proved 6 May 1742, lists seven children (ibid., vol. 6, p. 224). [Robert Ray King, "The Family of Nathan Bassett of Chatham," NEHGR 125:7]

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